How to be a good manager

Good management goes beyond just making the monthly numbers. Organizations are run by people, so it’s your people skills that help determine whether you are a good manager and good leader.

Whole course are taught on this subject. I can only scratch the surface here. As one who spent many years in the “trenches” (that is, as a junior employee), I have a pretty good perspective on the qualities that make a good manager.

Most of these are common sense, but all deserve to be reviewed on occasion. Managers, like everyone else, slip into a groove at times. That’s when leadership consistency slides, and productivity drops along with morale. Review this list several times in the coming days. Do you find yourself violating any of these principles? Make the necessary changes. Your team and organization will be the better for it.

Read more

Be more disciplined with e-mail

Going through my e-mail the other day, I was reminded just how easy it can be to get swallowed up by all the forces out there biding for my attention. I have several e-mail accounts for business, and most get loaded with mail. One address averages around 30 messages a day. The other accounts receive less, but still garner … Read more

Clear out the clutter

In a previous column, I suggested that everyone take about five minutes at the end of the day to clear out their e-mail inboxes. Eliminating old messages takes care of the mental baggage that goes with them. Think about it: By leaving the message within view you constantly tell yourself, “Better keep that, because I’ll need … Read more

Get rid of old e-mails

Busy businesspeople can be real pack rats. Papers, files, books, magazines, and countless other items pile up throughout the office. The same holds true for e-mails. With the volume of messages that arrives each day, it’s not uncommon for dozens to remain in the inbox waiting to be disposed of. Each message left at the … Read more

Need a vacation? Take one, but make the most of it

Even though summer is nearly over – at least for us in the Northern Hemisphere – there still is some time to get away and relax. Of course, some of you may be planning your winter vacation already. Regardless of when you plan to escape,  I’d like to  offer some suggestions to help make the trip more pleasant. … Read more